


Our Ritual

by Vexed_Wench



Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: Alternate Universe, Community: whatif_au, Community: writers_choice, Fluff, M/M, cowboy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-29
Updated: 2017-05-29
Packaged: 2018-11-06 09:35:24
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 420
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11033490
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vexed_Wench/pseuds/Vexed_Wench
Summary: It doesn't matter where they are or what they're doing Rodney will always worry about John.Written for the prompt cowboy and the whatif_au and cowboy at Writer's choice.





	Our Ritual

"Let's review the rules," Rodney said with the same manic gleam he always had before John competed. After all the years they'd been together, he still wasn't sure if Rodney looked more adorable or demented. 

"Do we have to do this every time?" John complained.  
"Refresh my memory how many times have you gone out to play _Rooster Cogburn_." Rodney glared at him. 

"Rooster?" John tried to keep a straight face. The cowboy references were the only thing that Rodney improvised with his pep talk. It was as much of a pep talk as Rodney was capable of giving him.

"We can go back to Annie Oakley if you want."  
"Rodney, that reference only works if I was going shooting."  
"Might be safer," Rodney mumbled.  
"Rodney..." John warned.

"Okay, Rule One?" Rodney prompted with his manic gleam back in full force.  
"One: I will walk away if something feels off.  
Two: I will remember I am not as young as I used to be. I will remember my own limitations.  
Three: I will remember that I hold more than enough titles to retire and still have a solid standing in the record books.  
Four: I have enough prize money to live well until we die of old age.  
Five: That there is no amount of money or any trophy that would make me consider leaving Rodney alone." John recited the list just as he had every time he competed after he and Rodney became a a couple.

He still wasn't sure how they got together in the first place. One minute he was ordering a beer and the next he was being accused of trying to murder the single most brilliant mind in the world. John was so amused by his tirade that he switched to a local draft that didn't need a lemon and then asked Rodney to dinner. Somehow dinner turned into breakfast and last month they celebrated their fifth anniversary.

"And if I knowingly do something to jeopardize my health or life?" Rodney prompted him.

"Rodney and I will have drinks with the rodeo clowns in _full_ makeup." John shuddered at the idea.

He'd faced down many things that would make a normal man shudder in his life, but clowns they still creeped him the fuck out. It didn't matter because as scary as a clown was there was one thing that would always trump them, a pissed off Rodney McKay. John wasn't stupid. He would never knowingly do anything to bring McKay's wrath down upon him.


End file.
